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Bereavement counselling service launched for drug-related deaths

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (Scottish Families) launches the first national Bereavement Counselling Service dedicated to families impacted by a drug-related death.

Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs (Scottish Families) launches the first national Bereavement Counselling Service dedicated to families impacted by a drug-related death.

Families of substance misusers have acute support needs at the time of their loved one’s death. The Scottish Families Bereavement Counselling Programme, funded by Scottish Government, will significantly decrease support response time from 6 months to 7 days and provide specialist drug-related death bereavement counselling and informational support to address the challenges surrounding a drug-related death.

This week the University of Bath and University of Stirling will launch their practice guidelines for working with families bereaved by an alcohol or drug-related death. As a member of the advisory group, Scottish Families contributed to this 3 year Economic and Social Research Council funded project. Scottish Families will continue to ensure the needs of family members bereaved by drug-related death are recognised by embedding these guidelines in their new bereavement counselling service.

Last year Scotland lost 526 people due to a drug-related death. Drug-related deaths are sudden and unexpected. Families may experience stigma from relatives, friends and communities including isolation, criticism and judgement. Through timely and appropriate support the quality of life and general well-being of families bereaved through a drug-related death will substantially improve.

The launch of new guidelines was aimed at those whose work brings them into contact with adults bereaved through drug or alcohol-related death. The guidelines are based on 5 key messages which were identified from research interviews with bereaved adults and focus groups attended by 40 workers. The research was carried out in Scotland and the North of England over the last 3 years. Project was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (2012 to 2015) and was carried out by death studies researchers from the Centre for Death and Society at the University of Bath and addiction studies researchers at the University of Stirling. The AAPT was represented on a focus group by Council Member Alison Anderson, NHS Lothian. Further information on the project can be found here http://www.bath.ac.uk/cdas/research/understanding-those-bereaved-through-substance-misuse/#outputs

The Bereavement Counselling Service provides early intervention support to family members and up to 6 counselling sessions and the opportunity to participate in peer support groups.

Families can access the service by contacting the Scottish Families Helpline: